Side rain flaps for shoulder bags

ABSTRACT

A side flap for covering a gap in a bag is provided for reducing or eliminating environmental elements from entering the bag through the gap between a cover and a mouth of the bag, and for containing contents within the bag. The side flap includes an attachment device that automatically attaches to a corresponding attachment device on the bag when the cover is moved from an open position to a closed position. The attachment device automatically detaches from the corresponding attachment device when the cover is moved from the closed position to the open position.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure is directed toward flaps attached to a bag to reduce or eliminate rain or the like from passing through gaps in the bag.

2. Description of the Related Art

Bags held by wearers are often subjected to elements of a particular environment, such as rain, snow, and dirt. Oftentimes, such elements can enter a bag through holes or gaps that exist in the bag, thereby damaging or destroying things contained in the bag. Additionally, things contained in the bag itself, such as a wallet, keys, a phone, and the like, may fall out through such holes or gaps in the bag, which may result in loss or destruction of such contents. Furthermore, it is desirable for wearers of bags to be able to quickly open and close the bag with minimal steps and with one hand, for example.

BRIEF SUMMARY

The present disclosure is directed toward flaps attached to bags, purses, pouches, and other items (hereinafter a “bag”) to reduce or eliminate contents from passing through gaps in the bag. Generally, a bag may comprise a bag body that defines a bag cavity for holding contents therein. In some embodiments, the bag body may comprise a front panel, a rear panel, left and right side panels, a cover, and a mouth. A messenger bag is one example. The cover may be similar to a traditional flap-type cover of a messenger bag such that the cover substantially covers and extends across the mouth of the bag when the bag is in a closed position. While in the closed position, the bag may have at least one gap between the cover and the bag body through which water or items could pass between the bag cavity and the external environment, such as a pair of gaps on opposing ends of a messenger bag. At least one side flap is secured or removably attached to the bag and projects transversely from an edge of the cover such that the at least one side flap substantially covers or completely covers the at least one gap in the bag when the cover and the side flap are in respective closed positions. Thus, the at least one side flap may reduce or eliminate the passing of contents through the at least one gap in the bag.

In some embodiments, the at least one side flap includes a first attachment device and the bag body includes a second attachment device. When the cover of the bag is moved from the open position to the closed position, the first attachment device of the side flap may be automatically attached to the second attachment device of the bag. Conversely, the first attachment device of the side flap may be automatically detached from the second attachment device when the cover is moved from the closed position to the open position. Such functionality allows a wearer to gain access to the bag without being required to manually attach or detach the side flap from the bag during use because such operations are automatic by virtue of opening and closing the cover of the bag.

In some embodiments, the first attachment device and the second attachment device may each comprise at least one magnet and at least one magnetically attractive element. It will be appreciated that other attachment devices could be used to automatically attach and detach the at least one side flap from the bag when moving between the open and closed positions, such as a combination of snaps, buttons, hook and loop fasteners, magnets, and magnetically attractive elements.

In some embodiments, the side flap and the bag body may each be comprised of a pair of liners sewn to each other to contain the respective at least one magnet or other attachment device such that the attachment devices are hidden from view. The liners of the side flap may be comprised of waterproof material to eliminate or reduce the amount of moisture from entering the bag.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a side flap and a bag in closed positions according to one embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the side flap and bag of FIG. 1 in open positions.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows a bag 10 in a closed position A, according to one embodiment. The bag 10 comprises a bag body 14 having a plurality of panels, including a front panel 16, a bottom panel 18, a rear panel 20, a left panel 22, and a right panel 24. The bag 10 further includes a cover 26 having a first end 28 secured to the rear panel 20 and a second end 30 removably attached to the front panel 16 when in the closed position, such that the cover 26 substantially covers a mouth 32 (FIG. 2) of the bag body 14 when in the closed position A. The second end 30 of the cover 26 may be attached to the front panel 16 by a clasp or other suitable attachment device. The bag body 14 and the cover 26 may each define or may collectively define a gap 34 when in the closed position A.

In one embodiment, a side flap 36 is coupled to the cover 26 on one end of the bag 10. The side flap 36 is sized to cover the gap 34 when in the closed position A to reduce or eliminate water or contents from passing through the gap 34 when the cover 26 is in the closed position A. Another side flap 37 (having similar features of side flap 36) may be secured to an opposing end of the bag 10 to cover a similar gap that may exist in the bag 10.

In some embodiments, a pair of attachment devices 38 are coupled to the side flap 36, which may be magnets or magnetically attractive elements positioned between fabric panels of the side flap 36, and which may be hidden from view. The pair of attachment devices 38 assists to achieve the automatic attachment and detachment functionality discussed above and further below.

FIG. 2 shows a portion of the bag body 14 in which the cover 26 and the side flap 36 of the bag 10 are collectively in an open position B. The side flap 36 may be a panel defined by a first side portion 42, a second side portion 44, and a third side portion 46. The first side portion 42 is attached or sewn to the cover 26, and the pair of attachment devices 38 is positioned adjacent to the second side portion 44. In some embodiments, a pair of corresponding attachment devices 40 are coupled to the left panel 22 of the bag body 14, which may also be magnets or magnetically attractive elements positioned between fabric panels of the left panel 22, and which may be hidden from view. The pair of corresponding attachment devices 40 are positioned such that they self align with the pair of attachment devices 38 when the bag 10 is in the closed position (FIG. 1). Thus, when a wearer moves the cover 26 of the bag 10 from the closed position A to the open position B, the pair of attachment devices 38 automatically detach from the pair of corresponding attachment devices 40, thereby obviating the need for the wearer to manually detach the side flap 36 from the bag body 14 when opening the cover 26. Similarly, when the wearer moves the cover 26 of the bag 10 from the open position B to the closed position A, the pair of attachment devices 38 automatically attach to the pair of corresponding attachment devices 40, thereby obviating the need for the wearer to manually attach the side flap 36 (and the other side flap 37) to the bag body 14 when closing the cover 26. In some embodiments, the bag 10 may have a strap 48 for carrying the bag 10 and a zipper 50 on the cover 26 for gaining access to contents in the bag 10.

The various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments. The U.S. patent application referred to in this specification and/or listed in the Application Data Sheet is incorporated herein by reference, in its entirety. Aspects of the embodiments can be modified, if necessary to employ concepts of the incorporated application to provide yet further embodiments.

These and other changes can be made to the embodiments in light of the above-detailed description. In general, in the following claims, the terms used should not be construed to limit the claims to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification and the claims, but should be construed to include all possible embodiments along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. Accordingly, the claims are not limited by the disclosure. 

1. A bag comprising: a bag body having a mouth; a first attachment device coupled to the bag body proximate the mouth; a cover having a first end secured to the bag body and a second end removably attached to the bag body when in a closed position such that the cover extends across the mouth of the bag; at least one side flap projecting transversely from an edge of the cover and adapted to substantially cover a gap between the cover and the bag body when the cover is in the closed position; and a second attachment device coupled to the at least one side flap, the second attachment device being adapted to automatically attach to the first attachment device when the cover is moved from an open position to the closed position, and the second attachment device being adapted to automatically detach from the first attachment device when the cover is moved from the closed position to the open position.
 2. The bag of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first attachment device and the second attachment device comprises at least one magnet, and the other of the first attachment device and the second attachment device comprises at least one magnetically attractive element.
 3. The bag of claim 1 wherein the at least one side flap automatically moves to a closed position when the cover is moved from the open position to the closed position.
 4. The bag of claim 1 wherein the at least one side flap comprises a first side flap positioned on a first end of the bag and a second side flap positioned on a second end of the bag.
 5. A cover attached to a bag having a mouth and operable between an open position exposing the mouth and a closed position covering a top of the mouth, the cover comprising: a flap having a first end attached to the bag, and an opposing second end removably attachable to the bag when in the closed position; and at least one side flap projecting transversely from the cover and adapted to substantially cover a gap between the cover and the mouth when the cover is in the closed position, the at least one side flap being automatically attachable to the bag when the cover is moved from the open position to the closed position, the at least one side flap being automatically detachable from the bag when the cover is moved from the closed position to the open position.
 6. The cover of claim 5 further comprising an attachment device coupled to the at least one side flap.
 7. The cover of claim 6 wherein the attachment device is at least one of a magnet and magnetically attractive elements, and wherein a complementary attachment device is coupled to the bag to attract the attachment device coupled to the at least one side flap when the cover is moved from the open position to the closed position.
 8. The cover of claim 5 wherein the at least one side flap comprises a first side flap positioned on a first end of the cover and a second side flap positioned at a second end of the cover.
 9. The cover of claim 5 wherein the at least one side flap comprises a panel defined by a first side portion, a second side portion, and a third side portion, the panel covering at least a portion of the gap when in the closed position.
 10. The cover of claim 9 wherein the first side portion is secured to the cover, and wherein an attachment device is positioned adjacent to the second side portion. 